Buff-breasted Flycatcher

Empidonax fulvifrons Order: PASSERIFORMES Family: Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)
Buff-breasted Flycatcher Portrait
  Copyright 2002-2007 Whatbird.com
Click here for licensing information Splitbar

Buff-breasted Flycatcher Variations:

Recommended Products:

General

Buff-breasted Flycatcher: Smallest Empidonax flycatcher; fresh adult has gray-brown upperparts and paler underparts washed with yellow and cinnamon. White eyering is distinct; two wingbars are white. Worn adult (summer) is duller overall. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is brighter, has buff instead of white wingbars, and appears more orange on breast and sides.

Range and Habitat

Buff-breasted Flycatcher: Found in open pine-oak woodlands in the mountains of southeastern Arizona, rarely found in extreme southwestern New Mexico.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"pit", "chee-lick", "chee-lick-chou"

Interesting Facts

 The Buff-breasted Flycatcher is the smallest, rarest, and most easily recognizable member of the genus Empidonax in the United States.

 Before 1999 this species had not been documented in Texas.

 A group of flycatchers has many collective nouns, including an "outfield", "swatting", "zapper", and "zipper" of flycatchers.



Author

David Lukas

Splitbar
Range Map for Buff-breasted Flycatcher

Related Birds

Cordilleran Flycatcher
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet
.
Family Flycatcher (Tyrannidae)_blue
Species Empidonax fulvifrons
Length5 Inches
Wingspan7.75 Inches

Buff-breasted Flycatcher

Buff-breasted Flycatcher: Smallest Empidonax flycatcher; fresh adult has gray-brown upperparts and pale underparts washed with yellow and cinnamon. White eyering is distinct; two wingbars are white. Short bill with black upper mandible and yellow to pink lower mandible. Legs and feet are gray-black.

● Song: "pit", "chee-lick", "chee-lick-chou"

● Foraging & Feeding: Buff-breasted Flycatcher: Sits on exposed branches and stems, darting out in short flights to catch flying insects. May occasionally drop to ground to grab insect.

● Breeding & nesting: Buff-breasted Flycatcher: Three to five creamy white eggs laid in cup nest made of spiderwebs and bits of plant material located about 20 feet high against trunk of trees. Female incubates for 14-16 days. Both parents feed young until they leave the nest at 15-17 days old.

● Similar species: Buff-breasted Flycatcher: The larger Cordilleran Flycatcher lacks the brown tones and has more olive-green color. Also has a yellow belly.

Flight Pattern

Short repeated flights from exposed branches to catch flying insects.
Buff-breasted Flycatcher Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Buff-breasted Flycatcher: Found in open pine-oak woodlands in the mountains of southeastern Arizona, rarely found in extreme southwestern New Mexico.
BreedingSolitary nester
PopulationVery restricted range in SW U.S.
MigrationMigratory
Weight0.3 Ounces